User blog:Cfp3157/Lady Bird Review: A Light Breeze in Indie Spirit
For the longest time, the appeal of Greta Gerwig has been elusive. Frances Ha ''and ''Greenberg ''never quite hit the right cords, while her work in mumblecore is a niche artform. However, with her extraordinary performance last year in ''20th Century Women and now her exemplary solo directorial debut in Lady Bird, Gerwig's genius as a storyteller both visually and in language is quite evident. She is hardly the sole champion; with all the cast and crew delivering top notch work under her guidance. The Cast With Saoirse Ronan leading the charge, the cast of Lady Bird ''is a lively and thoroughly interesting bunch. Debuting fantastically last year in ''Manchester by the Sea, Lucas Hedges does a complete 180 from his brooding turn to the good-hearted, goofy, but equally challenged boyfriend to Lady Bird. In sharp contrast, Timothee Chalamet captures an air of perfect pretensiousness and self-seriousness that screams to be both swooned for and to loathe. Bernie Feldstein is the secret weapon, adding moments of humanization and humor to complete the younger supporting cast. What can be said about Laurie Metcalf's passionate performance that hasn't already been echoed by other critics? She is a fireball of passion, conflict, and emotion, letting her feelings brim to the surface without overflowing until just the right moments. Her silences often mean as much as when she critisizes or backtalks her equally stubborn daughter. The man who deserves as much credit is Tracy Letts, who's silence prescence marks his fantastically underrated performance. Much like his counterpart Metcalf, his silence amongst these over-the-top characters make his moments of heartfelt emotion stand out like beacons. Saoirse Ronan is by far the most talented actress of this generation, with her dynamite role as the titular Lady Bird cementing her legacy. She does a fantastic job creating this senior, making her simaltaneously charming and flawed. Watching Saoirse slowly unveil the layers of her character, with the inherited traits of her parents and what she gathers as she grows, is the definition of evolutionary acting. Ronan delivers one of the greatest roles of her career in this hilarious and hearttourching role. Score: 5 out of 5 The Script Gerwig's displayed her writing abilities before, but not quite hitting the notes like she does here. With her loving hand and keen mind, she reveals a fascinating look at teenage life from a millenial perspective that is inheritely high-strung and energetic. Encompassing Lady Bird's entire senior does create a rush that leaves certain storythreads too short or compressed, Gerwig has total control of her story and it shows. Semi-autobiographical, ''Lady Bird ''tells the story of Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson, a Sacramento high school senior who wants to go to college anywhere but there. Feeling her small town may be suffocating her, Lady Bird struggles with how her future is going to play out while simaltaneously battling her equally headstrong mother and the trenches of high school. Gerwig creates fully fleshed out characters, with several plot threads that are neatly (if once again too quickly) presented. In additon, her dialogue is incredibly funny. Trading witty one-liners, sarcastic insults, and argument warfare, everyone in ''Lady Bird ''is clearly having a blast reciting Gerwig's language. Her capture of tone and vocabulary shines with her brilliant character creation. Score: 4.5 out of 5 The Direction Directing her own script, Gerwig's crew helps bring her vision to life in full force. Gerwig's own control of atmosphere and pacing is phenomenal, as she and editor Nick Huoy make the fast transitions through Lady Bird's senior year smooth. The best comparison would be like a family yearbook, each snapshot of her life feeling purposeful and important for viewers just as much as Lady Bird. Gerwig also gives strong support to her cinematographer Sam Levy, creating a memory-like film over the camera to display Gerwig's clear affection for the story. Hazy and purposefully distorted in the slightest ways, Levy's vision gives viewers a fly-on-the-wall look into her life. Something that often gets overlooked in contemporary film is costuming, but it truly shines here. Gerwig and her designer April Napier truly know how to use color, or lack thereof, the show character influence. She also knows how to use music, working alongside Jon Brion to create an early 2000's time capsule. Her choice in songs displays her nostalgia for the time, as well as enough quirkiness to create originality. Score: 5 out of 5 Final Verdict Creative and ambitious not in its scope but in its intimacy, ''Lady Bird ''has the soul of a small town disguised in its big budget, full feature presentation. With Gerwig's flawless abilities directing and writing, everything about this film falls into place. Saoirse Ronan leads the pack, but her peers and fellow actors easily keep up and get their moments to shine. Without a doubt one of the most genuine movies of the year, Gerwig's given a gift to cinema that has been lacking. Her touching and reassuring hand guide viewers through a genre often looked down upon, delivering the best of a generation just now beginning to tell their stories. Score: 97% For Your Consideration: *Best Picture *Best Director for Greta Gerwig *Best Lead Actress for Saoirse Ronan *Best Supporting Actor for Tracy Letts *Best Supporting Actor for Lucas Hedges (in a weaker year) *Best Supporting Actress for Laurie Metcalf *Best Original Screenplay *Best Cinematography (in a weaker year) *Best Cast Ensemble Category:Blog posts Category:Reviews Category:2017 Reviews